The Google AdWords program has become one of the most popular ways to advertise on the Internet. Its companion program, Google AdSense, has in turn become one of the most popular ways to earn advertising revenue for your website.

Together, Google AdWords and Google AdSense make up two sides of the game. Here is how the Google AdWords and Google AdSense game works.

With Google AdWords, you pay Google to advertise for their keywords in Google AdWords ads. The Google AdWords ads are shown in two places:

- On Google's search engine results pages (SERP's) for those keywords

- On other people's websites that are members of Google's AdSense program and that have those keywords in their content

If you look at the second bullet above, you will see that with Google AdSense, other people pay you (through Google) to advertise their websites on your website.

Like most games you can play either side. If you are playing the Google AdWords and Google AdSense game, the question is: Are you winning or losing the game? And if you're losing, how do you become a winner?

When Google AdWords ads are shown in their search engine results, Google makes all of the money from the advertiser. When the ads are shown as Google AdSense ads on other websites, Google splits the advertising revenue with each of those websites. The exact percentage is unknown, but it is commonly believed to be about a 50/50 split.

So how do you win the Google AdWords and Google AdSense game? There are two ways:

The first way is to be on the Google AdWords side of the game, where you pay for advertising. If you make more money from sales resulting from the Google AdWords ads than you spend on advertising, you win. This can be quite profitable, if you can succeed. After all, how often would you trade $1 to get $2? As often as possible, right?

This isn't always as easy as it sounds. It is possible to lose quite a bit of money before you learn how to play the Google AdWords side of the game. Many people wind up spending more for advertising than they profit from sales. You have to be patient and persistent, and you have to watch your numbers. You have to cancel the campaigns that aren't working and improve the ones that are.

The second way to win the Google AdWords and Google AdSense game is to be on the Google AdSense side of the game. You display other people's Google AdWords ads as Google AdSense ads on your website. Every time someone clicks on one of the Google AdSense ads, you make a percentage of the advertising fee Google receives. This can vary from a few cents to a few dollars.

If you have content targeted towards popular keywords that command high advertising revenues, you make more for each click. This isn't always easy either, but the good news on this side of the game is that it does not cost you anything at all while you are learning! If there are no clicks, you don't make any money - but you don't lose any either. This is in stark contrast to the Google AdWords side of the game, where people can lose hundreds or thousands of dollars.

You only need two things to play the Google AdSense side of the game:

- A website with content targeted towards keywords that pay well

- Targeted traffic to that website

Christopher Knight, owner of EzineArticles.com, actually gave me the idea for this article when he commented recently on an article of mine. Christopher said, "...thankfully Google Adwords EXISTS because without it, EzineArticles.com would not be the thriving community it is today." Article directories like EzineArticles.com and my site, ElectricText.com, thrive because of Google AdWords and Google AdSense. There is an interesting symbiotic relationship between article authors, article directories, Google AdSense publishers, and Google AdWords advertisers:

- Authors write articles and submit them to article directories because they want to build their reputation, their website traffic, and their incoming links.

- Article directories publish the articles (generally for free) because it allows them to build up huge content sites, build their website traffic, and make money from advertising. Often the article directories make money by being Google AdSense publishers.

- Publishers need content for their newsletters and websites because it allows them to also build up content sites, build their website traffic, and make money from advertising. Often the publishers are Google AdSense publishers as well.

- Google AdWords advertisers need the content-based websites to display their Google AdWords ads so they will build their website traffic and make money when people click on their ads, visit their websites, and make purchases.

When it all works right, everyone wins. But if you have to choose between being a Google AdWords advertiser or a Google AdSense publisher, the safest bet is being a publisher with a content site and Google AdSense ads. You have everything to gain and almost nothing to lose.

One of the smartest things you can do is to pick a niche with high-paying, popular keywords that are searched frequently. Then build a content site around those keywords. Surf article directories like EzineArticles.com and ElectricText.com for great content, and you will be well on your way. Add Google AdSense and perhaps some affiliate links or your own products. Drive traffic to your website by writing and submitting articles to the article directories. Watch your website statistics and your Google AdSense reports. Adjust as necessary, and keep adding content and submitting articles.

Now you know the secret to winning the Google AdWords and Google AdSense game.